IOC World Bird List (Version 2.1)
The pages in this section provide a complete list of the species of birds of the world (Version 2.1).
We Update the list quarterly as a work in progress to reflect taxonomic progress and favored English names for species of all avifaunas.
Accordingly, Updates are summarized on separate pages for Species, English Names, Ranges, Taxonomy and Corrigenda. Updates to the IOC World Bird list also are noted under “Comments” with more detail in the linked Footnote at the bottom of the page. The footnotes include citations to published authorities detailed separately in Literature Cited.
We are progressive with respect to splits of species proposed by ornithologists in peer-reviewed journal publications and in leading handbooks as well as major field guides. In part, we applaud the trend to recognize distinct and geographically separate populations as species, rather than to lump them by default, ostensibly under the Biological Species Concept. A summary of the conceptual foundations for this approach is being drafted for publication. By so doing, we not only attempt to track taxonomic discussions as closely as we can, but we also try to herald forthcoming changes. In the words of Pete Morris of Birdquest Ltd, we see value in trying to “future-proof” our world list against the inconsistencies of taxonomic philosophies, process, and pace that prevail among regional committees. To stay on the cusp of excellent discussions, check BirdForum regularly.
We also strive to accommodate the decisions of regional committees that await submission of a proposal, or decisions on pending proposals. We seek a middle ground by indicating the status of pending decisions by assigning species updates to several categories, namely:
- PS - Proposed Splits for splits that are being reviewed, listed on a separate web page starting with Version 2.0.
- AS - Accepted Splits (AS) that are accepted by one or more leading authorities, or that we deem valid..
- PL - Proposed Lumps for species that are likely to be treated as conspecific with another taxon and thus that may be DELETED from the IOC World Bird List.
- AL - Accepted Lumps (AL) for species that are deemed to be conspecific with another and are DELETED .
- ENG – Changes or corrections of English names, often required by proposed or accepted splits.
- DIS - Changes or corrections of a species Range, often required by accepted splits
Version 2.0 (January 2009) of the IOC World List includes our first substantial updates of the Classification of the birds of the world. Major features are summarized below, and footnotes on the list itself document these changes with key references. This is just the first step towards aligning the IOC list of world bird species with published molecular phylogenies, especially those of the last three years. Future updates will attend to more improvements of the classification including, for example, the much needed revisions of babblers and their relatives.
The pages of the IOC World Bird List below are subdivided primarily by Order(s) and for Passeriformes by sets of related families. Separate pages (Family Index, Family Links) (in progress) provide the current sequence of Orders and Families with links to the correct World Bird Names webpage and also links to the appropriate page of the Tree of Life (Aves) website.
Please use the edit/find tool on your browser to locate a species on a particular page.